(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to an apparatus and a method for converting relative movements between a vehicle wheel and a body of the vehicle to electricity, and using the electricity to recharge a battery of the vehicle. In particular, the present invention pertains to a generator provided on the vehicle and a linear motion to rotary motion converter that is connected between a wheel of the vehicle and an armature of the generator. Reciprocating movements of the wheel relative to the vehicle body are converted by the motion converter to rotations of the armature in the generator which produces electricity for recharging the battery of the vehicle.
(2) Description of Related Art
The increasing cost of fuels used to power internal combustion engine vehicles has lead to the development of hybrid vehicles. Hybrid vehicles are powered by both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. The electric motor is powered by a battery provided on the vehicle. The internal combustion engine typically provides power to the battery through an electric generator. The generator is mechanically connected to the internal combustion engine and is electrically connected to the battery. Operation of the internal combustion engine rotates the armature of the generator relative to the stator of the generator, which produces electricity that charges the battery.
In the operation of a conventional hybrid vehicle, the output of the internal combustion engine is relied on in rotating the armature of the generator to produce the electricity that recharges the vehicle battery. In order to increase the efficiency of the hybrid vehicle, it would be beneficial to convert other mechanical movements of the vehicle to electricity to assist in recharging the vehicle battery.